News from Committee 21

Committee 21 is a volunteer-run, non-partisan organization whose mission is to actively support the goals of the Wellesley Public Schools and to inform parents about key issues.

This fall, Wellesley voters likely will be asked to approve one or more debt exclusions for critical heating, ventilation, electric and plumbing upgrades of Fiske and Schofield elementary schools as well as the replacement of the 50-year-old windows at Wellesley Middle School.

The funding for these capital projects must be approved at a Special Town Meeting that begins October 27. If Town Meeting votes in favor of funding the projects, Wellesley voters will be asked in December to approve debt exclusions that would allow the projects to move forward.

In the coming weeks, Committee 21 will be providing parents with more information on the planned projects at Fiske, Schofield and WMS, including construction schedules, cost and impact. For a closer look at the WMS windows project, click here. More on the Fiske and Schofield projects can be found here.

FAQ: What is a Debt Exclusion? - An exclusion is a provision of Massachusetts’ Proposition 2½ that allows voters to add funds to a municipality’s tax levy on a temporary basis. A debt exclusion is generally used for a capital project and increases taxes for as long as the debt is in service, usually from 10-20 years. 

A debt exclusion differs from an override in that the tax burden decreases as the debt is paid off. In contrast, an override becomes a permanent part of the tax levy.